[GZG] PDS flak

I can't remember if this has been put forward before, but I had a thought
about PDS.

PDS (standard mode) = as per FTFB ADFC = as per FTFB (PDS can only fire in
standard mode)

PDS (flak mode) = every squadron/ordinance attacking the ship is
attacked by
1 die.  5-6 = 1 kill (no reroll).

For standard fighters, this gives a break point of 3 squadrons before flak is
more effective. Eg. A ship with 3 PDS (fairly average) normally scores 2.4
kills (regardless off # of attackers). If attacked by 8 squadrons, it would
instead score 8 kills using flak mode. The ship would probably still die
horribly, but there would be a lot less fighters to attack the next target.

If -1 DRM for heavy fighters is still applied to flak, the break point
shifts to 5 squadrons of heavy fighters.  This also means that the -2
DRM for plasmabolts makes flak mode ineffective.

I haven't seen this particular one, but predictably, I don't like it, or any
other system that affords a way to attack all fighter groups that are striking
a ship that doesn't have a strict limit on the upper end of its effectiveness.
It's always just a matter of "how many PDS do I need to make all incoming
fighters and ordnance useless?" In this case, it's
around 20-25, which is probably low-to-average in the custom games I
see.

Counterexample:  the close-in defense system ("lightning shield") that
Indy posted from the playtest list. Its upper end is only able to kill half
the fighters coming in, and it takes 15% of a ship's mass to do it.
 If anything, I think the mass cost might be a little too high -- 15%
mass is a _lot_ for a passive system, and it's even steeper on a capital
ship, where putting too much into passive defenses can leave you with a pretty
toothless ship.

E

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